The invention relates to a membrane filter plate for filter presses which are composed, in a known manner, of several parts between which are clamped at least one, usually, however, two, flexible rubber or plastic membranes. The membranes are equipped with nubs, grooves or the like on one side and are covered by a filter cloth. Several of such frames are installed in a filter press for use with their flat sides against one another and are pressed against one another. This pressure seals the individual plate packets against one another. The plates are equipped with one or more openings for the influx of the material to be filtered and also with openings for discharge of the filtrate. Additionally, inlets are provided for a pressure medium, for example compressed air, compressed water or the like, with this pressure medium being conducted into the space between two membranes that are part of a plate packet. This makes it possible to exert pressure onto the material to be filtered which is placed on the respective other side of the plates to thus completely separate the material into filtrate and residue.
Such membrane filters constructed of several parts are disclosed, for example, in DE-OS 1,960,821. They have the advantage that, for purposes of cleaning or exchange of the filter cloth or the membrane, they can easily be separated into individual parts. The advantage of the easy disassembly, however, is associated in many prior art embodiments with the drawback that such plates are susceptible to a malfunction which is particularly noticeable if the plates, when installed in the press, are charged with pressure medium without the plate packets having previously been braced sufficiently. Moreover, during use of the plates the individual parts expand and shrink to different degrees so that during exchange of the membranes and reassembly, it may become difficult to properly fit the parts together.